Why I'm a Vegetarian?

"The question is not, Can they reason ?, nor Can they talk ?, but Can they suffer ?" - Jeremy Bentham

Since this is my first post, I'll write about one of the most common questions that people ask me. Before going into it, I should mention that the purpose of this post is not to offend or annoy anyone. I understand that some of the readers may not agree with my views or arguments, but I do hope that they read and verify all the facts mentioned here.

When people learn that I'm a vegetarian (actually I'm a near vegan now), most of them assume that I'm doing it for spiritual/religious reasons. Others ask me if I'm doing it for health reasons or if I don't like the taste of meat. I'm disappointed that none of them have thought about an ethical connection. It is ethical concerns pertaining to animal suffering that transformed me into a vegetarian at 15. Back then, the basic problem I had (and still have) with meat is the following:

(Non-human) Animals are in many fundamental ways similar to humans: they are made of bones, flesh and blood, they have the same senses and can experience pain just like humans when tortured/killed. On the other hand there are millions of people who seem to be doing fine on a diet without meat.

Sure, I used to like the taste of meat. But the above thought would just stay in mind and bother me like a sand grain in the eye, until I had to give up meat. (I have to admit that since then there were a handful of occasions when I had meat, because of temptation or shyness or misinformation). So I became a vegetarian to be at peace with myself, though I was eating dairy products and eggs like before. But that began to change in the last couple of years. The more I learned about factory farming, its cruelty towards animals and its impact on the environment and health the more I began to drift towards veganism.

Factory Farming: Unfortunately most people don't think about where their food is coming from. But the truth is, the overwhelming majority of animal products come from factory farming. If there is such a thing as hell, then it cannot be worse than a factory farm. Here the animals are raised in extremely closed confinements and experience a life time of torture. Some or the horrors include the following: Hens are raised in battery cages so small that they can't ever fully stretch their wings. Cows are branded and dehorned without any anesthetic. Calves of dairy cows are brutally taken away from them and raised for veal. Dairy cows are slaughtered once their milk production is no longer profitable, at around the age of 4. (Cows have a life expectancy of about 16 years). Other animals including pigs and turkeys endure similar suffering. The lives of these animals are so gruesome that the best even in their life is (unfortunately) their death. Many of these things happen even in organic or free-range farms.

Killing animals for food may not be a problem for most people, but I wonder how many would be fine with the cruel way in which virtually all farm animals are raised. Birds and mammals are sentient beings and have the capacity to feel physical and emotional pain. Even if this pain is a fraction of that experienced by a human under similar circumstances, wouldn't it be worth preventing it ?

What about health ?: I have seen some people claim that animal products are necessary for good health. Though I'm not an expert on this, based on my little research and experience I am convinced that this is incorrect. In my view it is possible to thrive on a 100% plant based diet, unless you are allergic to most beans and nuts. This is in fact the position of the American Dietic Association and the Dietitians of Canada. According to them "Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence". They then go on to describe how vegetarians diets are healthier than an omnivorous diet. There are also a number of highly successful vegan athletes. The only thing that is not available in plant-based diet is vitamin B12. But B12 tablets are readily available in every health store, for a cheap price.

On the other hand diets high in animal foods have been associated with an increased risk of several diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, obesity and Osteoporosis. (For example read the book 'The China Study' written by a renowned Cornell Professor).

Environmental Impact: Even if someone doesn't care about the suffering of animals, its hard to ignore the environmental destruction caused by animal-based diet. According to the United Nations, animal agriculture is responsible for more green house gases than the entire transportation industry (including cars, planes, trains and other vehicles). There are many other ways in which factory farms pollute the environment and waste resources. (Anyone who wants to know more about this should check this site). Further, in almost all developed countries (and increasingly in developing countries) livestock consume the majority of grains produced, while else where there are millions of starving people in poor countries. According to this Cornell report, the grains consumed by the livestock in U.S alone can feed about a billion people!

What about dairy and eggs: As mentioned above dairy cows get slaughtered within 4 years. Moreover, they are continuously made pregnant and their male calves are slaughtered within a few months, even if the cows are raised in open farms. Male chicks also end up in a similar fate. After learning about the way animals are raised, it is difficult for me to justify the consumption of dairy and egg products, especially when there are plant-based alternatives like soy milk and almond milk that are more healthier and easily available in every store.

My choice: If I am not aware of these facts I too would have perhaps consumed animal products like everyone else without thinking about it. But now that I have a reasonable knowledge of the issues involved in producing animal products, I can no longer justify consuming them. So I have become a near-vegan. There are times, especially when traveling, when I may eat food containing dairy or eggs, when there is no alternative. However more than 99.5% of what I currently eat is vegan. I have been following this lifestyle since more than an year and doing pretty well. In fact, this transition has a positive effect on my health, perhaps because of my simultaneously rising interest in nutrition and an improvement in the variety of vegetables that I eat.